| french | Of or pertaining to France or its inhabitants. Origin: AS. Frencisc, LL. Franciscus, from L. Francus a Frank: cf. OF. Franceis, franchois, franois, F. Franais. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| French-American-British classification | <haematology> The classification of acute myeloid leukaemia on the basis of bone marrow and peripheral blood features. M0: Acute myeloid leukaemia with minimal evidence of myeloid differentiation. M1: Acute myeloblastic leukaemia. M2: Acute myeloblastic leukaemia with differentiation. M3: Acute promyelocytic leukaemia. M4: Acute myelomonocytic leukaemia. M5: Acute monocytic leukaemia. M6: Acute erythroleukaemia. M7: Acute megakaryocytic leukaemia. Acronym: FAB (07 Apr 1998) |
| French chalk | <chemical> A soft mineral of a soapy feel and a greenish, whitish, or grayish colour, usually occurring in foliated masses. It is hydrous silicate of magnesia. Steatite, or soapstone, is a compact granular variety. Indurated talc, an impure, slaty talc, with a nearly compact texture, and greater hardness than common talc. Synonym: talc slate. Origin: F. Talc; cf. Sp. & It. Talco, LL. Talcus; all fr. Ar. Talq. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| French flag problem | The French flag (tricolour) is used to illustrate a problem in the determination of pattern in a tissue, that of specifying three sharp bands of cells with discrete properties that do not have blurred edges using, for example: a gradient of a diffusible morphogen. (18 Nov 1997) |
| French flap | A rectangular flap raised in an elastic area, with its free end adjacent to a defect; the defect is covered by stretching the flap longitudinally until the end comes over it. Synonym: advancement flap, French flap. (05 Mar 2000) |
| French polio | Colloquialism for Guillain-Barre syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| french pressure cell | A device used to cause cells to burst (or lyse) with hydrostatic pressure. The cells are suddenly forced into low pressure after being in high pressure. (09 Oct 1997) |
| French proof agar | A culture medium for fungi containing neopeptone or polypeptone agar and glucose, with final pH 5.6; it is the standard, most universally used medium in mycology and is the international reference. Modified Sabouraud's agar (Emmons modification) with less glucose is better for pigment development in the colonies. Synonym: French proof agar. (05 Mar 2000) |
| French scale | A scale for grading sizes of sounds, tubules, and catheters as based on a measurement of 1/3 mm and equaling 1 fr on the scale (e.g., 3 fr = 1 mm); grading to scale is carried out using a metal plate with holes ranging from 1/3 mm to 1 cm in diameter. Synonym: Charriere scale. (05 Mar 2000) |
| aaa disease | Endemic anaemia of ancient Egypt, ascribed in the Papyrus Ebers to intestinal infestation with ancylostoma; now called ancylostomiasis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ABO haemolytic disease of the newborn | Erythroblastosis foetalis due to maternal-foetal incompatibility with respect to an antigen of the ABO blood group; the foetus possesses A or B antigen which is lacking in the mother, and the mother produces immune antibody which causes haemolysis of foetal erythrocytes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| accumulation disease | A disease characterised by abnormal accumulation of a metabolic product in certain cells and tissues; examples include the mucopolysaccharidoses, lipoidoses. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Acosta's disease | A condition that results from prolonged exposure to high altitude. Symptoms include a continuous dry cough, shortness of breath, poor exercise tolerance, dizziness, headache, sleep difficulty, anorexia, confusion, fatigue and a rapid pulse. Treatment includes the immediate movement to a lower altitude. Prophylaxis has been accomplished successfully with the use of acetazolamide (Diamox). (27 Sep 1997) |
| acquired immunodeficiency disease | Acquired immunodeficiency disease: Disease caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). (12 Dec 1998) |
| acute disease | Disease having a short and relatively severe course. (12 Dec 1998) |